Outdoor graduation ceremony becomes ‘mass casualty incident’ as over 150 people fall ill to extreme heat: ‘I couldn’t breathe’

Several high school graduations in New Jersey were postponed after excessive heat during a two-part ceremony Monday caused what the Paterson city fire chief declared a “mass casualty incident,” according to the Guardian.

What’s happening?

A “heat dome” began to descend on vast swaths of the Northeast and Midwest on Sunday, and over 100 million Americans endured a days-long extreme heat warning as dangerous temperatures blanketed Boston, New York City, and Baltimore.

Over 150 people were sickened in Paterson, New Jersey, on Monday during a pair of high school graduation ceremonies, the Guardian reported.

According to NBC News, the Paterson Fire Division initially responded to the first of the two events. During the morning ceremony, around 50 people fell ill because of the excess heat.

A second ceremony, held in the afternoon, proceeded as scheduled, and another 100 attendees required medical attention. Of those sickened, nine were hospitalized.

Paterson Mayor André Sayegh subsequently canceled all “recreational activities,” declaring a state of emergency as the heat index approached 110 degrees.

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The heat index, or “apparent temperature,” is what outside temperatures feel like when accounting for humidity.

Why was this incident so concerning?

CBS News‘ coverage of the events underscored the insidious nature of high temperatures, showing how quickly heat-related illness can endanger anyone.

Excess heat is a form of extreme weather, and over the past three decades, it has resulted in more annual deaths on average than hurricanes, tornadoes, and lightning strikes combined. Rising average global temperatures and warming seas have been likened to “steroids” when it comes to extreme weather.

Heat waves, hurricanes, wildfires, and severe storms have always been part of weather patterns — but as the planet overheats, they’ve become far deadlier, costlier, and occur much more frequently.

Extreme heat poses risks even to the young and healthy, and in Paterson, graduates and spectators alike fell ill.

“It was exhausting. I couldn’t breathe, like my chest hurts,” Rosa Parks High School graduate Ciarra Bailey told News12 New Jersey. Another attendee witnessed “people fainting around us.”

Existing climate models are “likely understating the relationship between climate change and persistent summer weather extremes today,” climate researcher Michael Mann told CNN.

The city of Paterson issued a heat warning on its website ahead of the ceremonies. Nevertheless, more than 150 people became seriously ill.

What’s being done about extreme heat?

In Paterson and on much of the East Coast, local municipalities opened cooling centers for residents without access to a climate-controlled environment.

The incidents at Paterson’s graduation ceremonies occurred early in the season, with the typically hotter months yet to come.

As extreme heat waves become stronger and more frequent, awareness of the impact of climate on weather is important — particularly because heat-related illnesses are fast-moving and extremely dangerous.

During a heat wave, staying hydrated and avoiding unnecessary exertion are two key ways to stay safe.

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